• The video, filmed in various Costa Rican destinations, is entitled “Best Place to Travel in 2021 (Costa Rica)”.
• Influencer and filmmaker Rob Strok has over 544,000 followers on Instagram and 105,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel. He visited the country a few weeks ago as part of the ICT’s marketing strategy.

Thursday, April 8, 2021- The beaches of the Paciifc, the unique experience of ziplining in Monteverde, lush green mountains, majestic waterfalls, San José’s Central Market and the Bajos del Toro waterfall were just some of the tourist activities profiled in an eight-minute video posted to YouTube by American influencer Rob Strok.

The video, entitled “Best Place to Travel in 2021 (Costa Rica)” has been viewed over 12,000 times since being published on April 1 to the filmmaker’s over 105,000 subscribers, who are invited to enjoy the country’s unique experiences.

“Costa Rica proved to be one of the most beautiful countries I have ever visited. From never-ending jungles to the kind locals, Costa Rica left a lasting impression on all of us,” said Strok in the narration the accompanies the striking images of his video.

The American filmmaker visited the country with his production team for five days in January, marking his first trip outside the United States since the pandemic restrictions came into effect in 2020. ´

On an Instagram story, Strok noted that he was impressed by the strict health protocols throughout his entire visit from the moment he arrived at Juan Santamaría International Airport.

Connection to audiences interested in Costa Rica

“This video confirms Costa Rica’s position as an ideal destination for us to connect with the essential things in life and a safe destination in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Carolina Trejos, ICT Marketing Director.

Trejos also highlighted that ICT’s international publicity strategy includes a program encouraging visits by niche influencers specialized in tourism and travel and who fit in with the values of the country brand, Essential Costa Rica and the current campaign, Only the Essentials. “This influencer program selects and analyzes profiles that offer high impact in the US and Canadian markets,” Trejos continued. “The influencers are then officially contacted and invited, depending on their availability to experience the destination and share it from their point of view, working jointly with the MMGY advertising agency and the ICT’s Marketing Department. This allows us to effectively reach target audiences who may become potential tourists.”

Currently, this program is partnering with American adventure specialist and climbing expert April Davidson, who is currently touring locations in Costa Rica and has shared her first publications on her Instagram account @yeahapril.

The full video by Rob Strok of his Costa Rican travels can be found at the following link: https://youtu.be/GTw8WlpJT8g 

You can also follow his adventures in Costa Rica on his Instagram account and the stories on his feed at: https://www.instagram.com/robstrok/

• President of the Republic and Minister of Tourism signed Law 9977 on Monday in a ceremony at Marina Pez Vela in Quepos.

• The regulation strengthens Costa Rica’s position as an international destination for nautical tourism and broadens the scope of the Marina and Tourist Quay Concession and Operation Act.

• Nautical tourism offers high potential and is in line with a focus on sustainable development, both important for boosting the economy of coastal communities.

• Marinas have the capacity to directly employ at least 2,500 people and their economic impact extends to businesses that provide services to ships and tourists.

Quepos, Puntarenas. In a ceremony held on Monday at Marina Pez Vela in Quepos, President of the Republic Carlos Alvarado and the Minister of Tourism, Gustavo Segura, signed the Tourism Marina and Coastal Development Act (Law no. 9977) into law.

The innovative legislation seeks to modernize the conditions in which marinas operate and broadens the scope of the Marina and Tourist Quay Concession and Operation Act, strengthening Costa Rica’s position as an ideal destination for international nautical tourism.

The law authorizes vessels with a foreign flag and their crews to carry out economic activities related to maritime transportation, recreation and tourism within Costa Rican waters and permits the hiring of Costa Rican captains and sailors to perform such activities.

It also makes it possible for marina concession holders and their subsidiaries to use their concessions as collateral to access financing.  

“This legal reform offers a new business environment for marina concession holders and the foreign vessels that dock in their marinas,” said President Alvarado during the activity. “This will facilitate and strengthen the dynamics surrounding nautical tourism in Costa Rica. Nautical tourism attracts visitors with significant spending power, with an enormous impact on job creation in the country’s coastal communities.”

The Minister of Tourism, Gustavo J. Segura, noted that “by modernizing the conditions under which marinas operate, we hope that we will increase our ability to attract lovers of nautical tourism, a high-quality group of tourists that are consistent with a sustainable development model and tend to be interested in culture and athletic activities. Marinas form an important part of our drive to revitalize the economy of the coastal regions in which they are located.”

Meanwhile, the General Manager of Marina Pez Vela and the President of the Association of Marinas of Costa Rica, Jeffrey Duchesneau, noted that it is just such innovative decision making that the country needs for the post-pandemic world.

“The reform to the Marinas and Quays Act, along with the efforts by the country’s tourism sector and the world-class marinas of the Pacific coast will help make Costa Rica into the new ideal destination for leasing luxury vessels. We are opening up to a whole new category of tourists.  This situation benefits everyone: tourists, coastal communities and the country as well,” Duchesneau explained.

The signing ceremony for the new law was also attended by Quepos Mayor Jong Kwan Kim Jin and Vice Mayors Rónald Sánchez and Vera Elizondo, along with members of the tourism business community.

Costa Rica competes with destinations of the highest caliber in Europe and the Caribbean to attract nautical tourism. This new legislation may help position the country as a better option.

Currently, Costa Rica allows tourists to enter the country in yachts and sailboats at the marinas of Bahía Golfito, Los Sueños, Pez Vela, Banana Bay and Papagayo. These marinas offer a total of 800 docking areas and see dozens of domestic and international arrivals per month, the majority of which fly US flags. Prior to the pandemic, foreign arrivals accounted for 350 arrivals per month of a total of 550.

These marinas have provided direct employment to 2,500 people and create a considerable number of indirect jobs through services offered to ships and tourist arrivals. In addition, they provide economic support to the activities and needs of the communities and municipalities in which they operate.

• The route will be flown using Airbus A340-300 aircraft, with a capacity of 279 passengers: 30 in Business Class, 28 in Premium Economy and 221 in Economy.

Beginning on March 28 and for a period of one month, Lufthansa will increase its flights on the Frankfurt to San José route from three to five per week.

The flights will operate on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with flight LF518 leaving Germany at 1:40 p.m. local time and arriving in Costa Rica at 5:50 p.m. The departure from Costa Rica on flight LH 519 will leave at 7:35 p.m. for an arrival in Germany at 3:00 p.m. local time.

“This news allows us to continue the reactivation of tourism and the airline industry,” said Hermes Navarro, Head of Investment Attraction at ICT. “Proper management of the pandemic and the application of public health protocols have made Costa Rica an example for the world. In spite of the German government designating certain European destinations as ‘safety corridors’, the increase in travel reservations to Costa Rica resulted in the decision by Lufthansa to increase the frequency of flights.”

The route will be operated with Airbus A340-300 aircraft, which are configured for 279 passengers, with 30 in Business Class, 28 in Premium Economy and 221 in Economy. The German flagship carrier requested a total of 12 additional flights from the Costa Rican Civil Aviation Authority through the end of April.

Lufthansa restarted its flights to San José on October 24, with two flights per week. With the new increase in visitors, the company will be offering 1,395 seats per week in each direction.

The German market is one of Costa Rica’s largest tourist-sending markets in Europe. On average, German tourists tray over 12 days in Costa Rica and primarily enjoy outdoor and nature activities.

• Puerto Limón has everything needed to be an authentic Costa Rican destination.
• Limón offers the essence of Costa Rica’s Caribbean region, with cuisine, history, culture and art.
• Eighteen heritage buildings throughout downtown Limón have been fitted with informational plaques and QR codes providing access to online information.
• In the Caribbean region, 171 businesses are currently participating in ICT programs to improve their tourism products and services.

March 29, 2021 Aiming to take joint action to raise the profile of Puerto Limón as a destination for domestic and international tourists, the Minister of Tourism Gustavo J. Segura met with business leaders and tourist guides in the Limón Cultural Tourism Center over the weekend.

“This tour has given us a close-up view of the enormous cultural wealth that Puerto Limón has for the Costa Rican tourist industry,” said Segura. “In a one-hour walk around Parque Vargas and the Cultural Tourism Center, we observed 19 buildings that are part of the historical and cultural heritage of Costa Rica.”

The minister held meetings with businesspeople and inspirational figures including the women who lead the Caribbean Chamber of Women in Business. He also met with the Somos Caribe platform, whose objective is to promote Limón as an authentic destination among visitors who value Costa Rica’s cultural wealth and seek out expressions of culture, biodiversity and cuisine.

Lessons learned

“The main lesson from our tour has been that Limón is a place of natural beauty and wonderful people,” Segura remarked. “Yet visitors regularly go to the northern or southern Caribbean coast without visiting downtown Limón, which is a cradle of art, culture and cuisine. We shouldn’t pass it by, since many Costa Rican idiosyncrasies can be explained in the history of Puerto Limón.”

The Vice-Minister of Culture, Loida Pretiz, also participated in the Limón meetings, speaking with attendees about the projects being implemented with Cultural Tourism Guides in collaboration with the Costa Rican Tourism Board through the Integrated Tourist Destination Management Program.

George Grant, Director of the Cultural Tourism Center of Limón and the owner of G&E Chocolate Adventure Company, organized the meeting and noted that the visit by the Minister of Tourism and the Vice-Minister of Culture allowed them to see the ongoing projects and local attractions, and interact with business leaders, tour operators, women’s groups and tourist guides to discuss the actions that have been taken in the region. The visiting officials also participated in a Caribbean culinary workshop that featured the patty and plantain tart.

Grant noted that the meeting sought to convert Puerto Limón into a must-see destination that offers a variety of activities in the Puerto Limón Cultural Tourism Center for domestic and international tourists. The center is an organization that works to create and promote new tourism products in Limón that bring together agriculture, cuisine, outdoor activities and the city’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage.

Beatriz Pareja and Peinan Zhang, Spanish tourists who were passing through Puerto Limón during the tour, mentioned that they enjoy Limón because they were able to try new products such as cacao and they liked the weather and the park. “We came to Costa Rica because it has many safety measures in place,” they added.

Promotion of cultural and architectural heritage

A variety of individuals and institutions have joined forces to promote the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Puerto Limón. One such effort is Heritage Puerto Limón, implemented in partnership with the Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, which focuses on appreciating Caribbean architecture. Proposals have also been made to post signs at 18 heritage buildings. These include informational plaques as well as QR codes that provide access to digital content such as videos, photographs, official documents and free downloadable content from the Cultural Heritage Center and the National Library.

“We have also presented a series of classes on cooking, architecture and dance at the Cultural Tourism Center, which serve as examples of the full array of activities that we offer to tourists,” Grant added.

“The tourism sector in Limón holds its future in its hands,” said Segura. “We must certainly support local institutions, but the city’s business leaders are the driving force that will shape the future of the city. I invite them to work towards tourism declarations and to formalize their businesses to gain access to funding, soft credit and support from federal institutions. This will ensure that post-pandemic tourism will bring social welfare to Limón.”

The ICT has urged the local business community to increase the number of members in their programs, which will allow them to offer products and services to tourists that speak to the quality of the region and are backed by the ICT, the country’s tourism agency.

About the Cultural Tourism Center

The Cultural Tourism Center of Puerto Limón is a project that began in March 2018 as a social responsibility initiative by the G&E Chocolate Adventure Company. It is housed in the old buildings of the United Fruit Company, located opposite the JAPDEVA cruise ship terminal.

The 120-year-old building was declared part of the National Heritage as it is a living testament to the monumental architecture of its era, as well as the importance of the banana industry in the Caribbean. The facilities provide the ideal location for the Cultural Tourism Center of Puerto Limón to carry out its work.

• Following a call to avoid travel on these dates during the first year of the pandemic, the sector now calls on Costa Ricans to do so responsibly.

In the lead-up to Holy Week, chambers of tourism around the country came together to send a message to motivate the Costa Ricans who plan on traveling during the holiday to redouble their efforts to remain safe and follow the protocols established by the public health authorities.

About 80 participants from more than twenty organizations and companies that were represented at the First Meeting of Chambers and Tourism Entrepreneurs agreed to launch this call to the population to travel responsibly, to take care of themselves and to take care of all tourism workers who are prepared to receive them during the holiday.

The event was organized through an initiative of the Turrialba Chamber of Tourism, with the support of the Costa Rican Tourism Board and the National Chamber of Tourism, with the objective of providing joint solutions to recover from the crisis facing the tourism industry.

“On behalf of the chambers that were represented at the meeting, we want to ask Costa Rican citizens who plan to go on vacation during this holiday to take care of one another while traveling and to minimize the risk of infection by following the recommendations and protocols,” said Ida Herrera, President of the Turrialba Chamber of Tourism, one of the organizers of the meeting.

Last year, the tourism sector called on Costa Ricans to stay at home, in line with the recommendations of the Ministry of Health. Their message now is to travel responsibly.

Gustavo Segura, the Minister of Tourism, joined them in issuing an emphatic call to strictly follow public health measures and for all Costa Ricans visiting tourist destinations during Holy Week to respect health and safety protocols.

“Let me begin by offering my heartfelt thanks to the families who wish to visit the country’s tourist destinations for providing economic relief to the hundreds of families who depend on tourism in our country,” said Segura. “However, I would like to sincerely request that you do so with absolute respect for the prevention protocols because we are still in times of pandemic. I urge you all to keep using a mask, practicing social distancing, not mixing between bubbles or forming crowds unnecessarily. We can do tourism responsibly by adhering to the established health protocols.”

Meanwhile, Shirley Calvo, Executive Director of Canatur, noted that the sector advised Costa Ricans to put off their travel last year for a later date.

“We asked you to refrain from visiting beaches, mountains or leaving your homes. This year, now that we have the tools to protect ourselves, we call on you to spend your holiday responsibly at tourist destinations throughout the country, which are prepared to receive you with every safety measure in place.”

Conclusions of the meeting

The event was held in Turrialba in response to an urgent call, with invitees including chambers of tourism as well as tourism organizations and entrepreneurs from around the country, representatives of the financial sector and academia, and federal deputies.

Over two days, participants presented their perspectives on needs and possible solutions along in four thematic areas:

• Creation of a financial product for the sector
• Review of draft legislation
• Operating cost reduction strategy
• Marketing strategies to promote domestic and international tourism

The agreements reached included the launch of a group work process that integrates regional chambers, business leaders from the sector, and all the people and institutions who, in one way or another, will have to be part of resolving the serious crisis that the tourism industry is going through.

Actions are already being coordinated to continue the work that was completed during the meeting. These include a proposal to carry out a census to establish the actual economic impact throughout the sector. Likewise, the tourism business sector is seeking advice from banks on the technical assistance and financial support necessary to achieve their financing objectives, as well as to be able to operate their businesses in a responsible and successful way in the midst of the crisis. A follow-up meeting will be coordinated with the bank to determine the feasibility of the conclusions relating to financial matters.

The marketing proposals are aimed at working on product development processes in the natural and cultural segments, which will generate concrete products in line with new trends and the economic situation to serve as the basis for the development of marketing material and content in every region of the country.

In terms of costs, it was concluded that there is an urgent need for a review of the rates and methodologies employed to calculate the fees for services used by the sector, specifically, electricity rates, licenses, internet and fees, among others.

• In the video, explorer and filmmaker Filipe DeAndrade says that he will show viewers the most charismatic creatures the country has to offer.

Thursday, March 25, 2021- Costa Rica had the honor of being selected by the prestigious magazine and media outlet National Geographic to launch its TikTok account, which posted a 39-second video this morning showing the country’s “most charismatic creatures”.

A vivdly colored mackaw, humpback whales and sea turtles play a starring role in the video by Brazilian filmmaker Filipe DeAndrade, who introduces the official launch of the #NatGeo TikTok account with a waterfall behind him. He later appears shouting “Pura Vida!” as he paddles a raft through rapids.

“This news fills us with satisfaction since they confirm Costa Rica’s position as a destination based on biodiversity, a sanctuary for sustainability, and the ideal tourist destination to reconnect with what is truly essential,” said Gustavo Seguro, Minister of Tourism.

DeAndrade also shared the video on his personal Instagram account, where it has garnered some 2,863 views. The post contained the following message: “@natgeo is on TikTok... meet us in the jungle, under a waterfall or blasting down a river. Anywhere there are animals, you can find me there.”

According to his biography on Instagram, Filipe is an Emmy-winning camera operator and has worked for companies such as Netflix and Disney.

Just a few hours after opening its TikTok channel, NatGeo already had over 12,000 followers.

• The HSMAI Adrian Awards recognized the work carried out to promote tourism during 2020, a year marked by the COVID-19 pandemic. 
• The gala was held online from the United States, adapted to the new normal.

Wednesday, March 24, 2021- Two campaigns launched by the Costa Rican Tourism Board for the US and Canadian markets were recognized at the 2020 HSMAI Adrian Awards, held on the evening of March 23 from the United States.

The awards were given to the Costa Rica Essential Tool Kit, which won gold in the Recovery Strategies category, which was exclusively related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, Only the Essentials took the bronze in the Integrated Market Campaign category.

Both projects were launched in 2020 with the objective of inspiring people to connect with the essential things in life following the radical change in people’s lives caused by the pandemic, with the tourism industry one of the most affected. The campaigns were also used as promotional messages throughout the gradual reopening as it began to unfold.

“Keeping Costa Rica front of mind for travelers has always been the goal of our strategies in priority markets such as the United States an Canada,” said Carolina Trejos, Marketing Director of the ICT. “Receiving these two awards for campaigns carried out in these countries affirms the work that we have done, which we must continue in order to promote the country as a sanctuary for sustainability and the ideal place to heal after these difficult months.”

The HSMAI Adrian Awards have been given out for 63 years and seek to recognize excellence in hospitality advertising, digital marketing and public relations.

This year’s awards sought to highlight best practices, innovation and community in categories related to the response to the coronavirus crisis.

What were the campaigns?

Only the Essentials, a campaign launched by the ICT on September 2, 2019 to promote Costa Rica in the United States and Canada, was adapted following the events of 2020 with a video reminding travelers that the country would be ready to receive them once the crisis was over.

The video, entitled “We’ll Be Here”, was later joined by another video when air travel resumed, called “Back to Pura Vida”.

This is the second award received for the campaign, which received a silver medal in Destination Marketing at the Travel Weekly Magellan Awards.

Only the Essentials was created by the US advertising agency MMGY, which proposed a personal connection with the truly essential things in life, which is what Costa Rica offers through a wide variety of tourism and travel experiences.

Meanwhile, The Costa Rica Essential Tool Kit was carried out by the NJF public relations agency, and consisted of Costa Rican items that could be experienced from home, including a wellness box with products like Pura Vida hats and bilingual coloring books, which were provided to journalists from media outlets working in the family segment, including AFAR, Boston Globe, Calgary Herald, Elite Family Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, Journal de Montreal, Outside, Elle Quebec, Today’s Parents and Fodor’s Travel, with the goal of providing travelers with an escape and a reminder of what the country has to offer.

• Land routes will allow tourists on long stays to combine the attractions of Costa Rica with those of neighboring countries.

• First phase of opening will allow tourists to enter who do not require a visa; they must comply with the same public health requirements as tourists entering by sea or air.

• Minister insists on respect for biosafety protocols to prevent infections of the Sars-CoV-2 virus while supporting the economic reactivation.

Tuesday, March 23, 2021. Following the end of Holy Week on April 5, Costa Rica will open its land borders to tourism. Interested individuals must comply with the immigration and public health requirements set out for entering and remaining in Costa Rica.

The announcement was made Tuesday by Gustavo J. Segura Sancho, Minister of Tourism, in a press conference in the Presidential Palace.  

Segura noted the importance of opening the land border for the country’s tourism industry, which has been the most affected by the pandemic.

“Many European tourists who visit Costa Rica are interested in a multi-destination experience, combining the attractions of our country with those of neighboring countries like Nicaragua and Panama,” Segura explained. “We have several binational corridors, such as between La Cruz and San Juan del Sur, Los Chiles and Lake Nicaragua, Puerto Viejo and Bocas del Toro and the Golfito and Canoas region with the province of Chiriquí in Panama.”

In 2019, prior to the pandemic, 5,285 European tourists entered Costa Rica by land, with Germans making up one fifth of the total (1,158). In the same year, 5,860 North American nationals entered by land.

Segura went on to cite figures from the Costa Rican Chamber of Health, indicating that prior to the pandemic, over 1,500 people crossed the country’s land border each year to invest in medical treatment, spending some $20 million in the country.  

The country will allow entry by tourists from groups one and two in the general guidelines for entry visas and stays by non-residents, who do not require a visa. Those belonging to nationalities in groups three and four, who do require a visa, may visit Costa Rica when the country’s consulates begin handling applications at a date to be determined.

Tourists can check whether they can enter without a visa at the following link: https://migracion.go.cr/Paginas/Visas.aspx, which contains the guidelines from the Directorate of Immigration and Foreigners.

The obligatory health measures due to the pandemic are as follows:

1. Complete the online epidemiological form called the Health Pass: https://salud.go.cr/
2. Acquire health insurance that provides the following coverages:

• Valid for the entire stay (coverage dates)
• 50,000 USD for medical expenses, including COVID-19
• 2,000 USD for lodging expenses in the event of COVID-19 quarantine

This announcement was accompanied by a change in the rules for land arrivals, eliminating the public health order requiring Costa Ricans and residents to undergo quarantine after arriving by land.

The epidemiological form must be validated in advance by the Ministry of Health, with support from the Costa Rican Tourism Board, which will review the health insurance portion as it has been doing for tourists arriving by air and sea. Once the person has completed these steps, they will obtain a QR code to be verified by immigration authorities at the border, who will also check that the tourist has a return ticket or has booked travel out of the country. Tourists must also demonstrate financial resources (US$100.00 per month of tourism) and have a valid passport in good condition.

Segura reiterated the critical importance of strictly observing biosafety protocols, both by business owners and local and international tourists, in order to maintain the reopening that is currently underway. “Only by doing so will we be able to resolve the serious problems of unemployment that Costa Rica is experiencing due to the pandemic,” Segura noted.

The opening of the land border, which closed to tourism in March 2020, comes after the opening of the air and sea borders that began gradually last August until both were fully reopened last November.

The mixed group of immigrants seeking to enter from Panama remains unauthorized to enter Costa Rica, meaning that these people must remain in the shelters provided to them in Panama. However, the entry of Nicaraguan nationals under the Health Bubbles program will continue under the coordination of immigration authorities as it has since last year.

• The Council of Government approved the request from the Minister of Tourism to help reactivate a wide range of economic areas linked to tourism in rural and coastal communities. 

• Officials will have to take vacation days on Monday, March 29, Tuesday, March 30 and Wednesday, March 31, which will be deducted from their vacation time at no cost to the public treasury. 

• Minister of Tourism: “We invite all Costa Rican families to engage in local tourism by visiting destinations throughout the country while fully respecting public health measures”. 

March 11, 2021. The Council of Government accepted a request from the Minister of Tourism and will approve vacations for Central Government officials during Holy Week to assist with the reactivation of the tourism sector and the economic areas linked to the industry in the country’s rural and coastal communities.

“The Executive Branch will apply a collective closure and will grant vacations on March 29, 30 and 31, which will be deducted from the vacation days of civil servants to allow them to take those days off alongside the statutory holidays on Maundy Thursday and Easter Friday on April 1 and 2. The public institutions will take the required precautions so as not to affect essential public services or emergency care,” explained Silvia Lara, Minister of Labor and Social Security, who signed the directive as the minister responsible.

As a result, public-sector offices (for non-essential services) will close at the end of the day on Friday, March 26 and will reopen on Monday, April 5. Government employees will be required to take vacation days on Monday, March 29, Tuesday, March 30 and Wednesday, March 31.

The guideline has no cost to the public treasury, since vacation days will be deducted from each public servant’s pre-existing balance of vacation days.

The Minister of Tourism, Gustavo J. Segura, said: “I extend an invitation to Costa Rican families to visit Costa Rica with full respect for the preventive COVID-19 health measures, since we are still in a pandemic. We must remember to practice frequent hand washing, facial protection using masks, physical distancing and traveling in our social bubbles.”

The minister urged Costa Ricans to rediscover our country during Holy Week, to search out new destinations in all the country’s regions and new experiences at the beaches, mountains and rural communities to recharge and make the most of the natural beauty and biodiversity that Costa Rica offers.

Economic benefits 

Tourism is considered one of the main engines of the national economy and one of the industries that generates the greatest direct and indirect economic benefits thanks to its linkages to with sectors including agriculture and commerce. In addition, a wide range of interconnected tourism services such as hotels and other accommodations, tour operators, restaurants, tourist transportation, certified guides and artisans, and many others help bring social progress to communities.

“The decision of the Governing Council will give relief to hundreds of families, both those who work directly in tourism as guides, drivers, waiters and cooks, receptionists and gardeners, as well as those who provide goods and services such as farmers, fishermen and ranchers in rural and coastal areas,” Segura Sancho added.

The minister also invited Costa Ricans to improve their tourism experience by hiring certified tour guides when on tours and visits to National Parks and conservation areas, as well as hiring tourist transportation, another sector that requires support.

“I respectfully call on all companies in the sector to offer differentiated and appropriate rates for domestic tourists,” said the Minister of Tourism.

The Costa Rican Tourism Board recommends purchasing from companies or services with a tourism declaration or certification for sustainable tourism (CST) with regulated operations. This will not only ensure the quality of their services, but also compliance with health protocols for tourism activities.

Those interested in further information, travel recommendations and a range of alternatives can visit the following website www.vamosaturistear.com

Monday, March 1, 2021. Following a request from the Minister of Tourism, Gustavo Segura Sancho, the General Directorate of Immigration and Foreigners authorized a final extension to the amount of time that foreigners on tourist visas who entered the country after December 17, 2019 could legally stay in the country until June 1, 2021.

This will be the final such extension for tourist stays under the administrative public health measures taken by the General Directorate.

To avail themselves of this extension, foreigners must send proof of travel insurance by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. so that the ICT can validate compliance with the insurance requirements in the extension issued by Immigration.

The insurance can have international coverage or be acquired with one of the insurance providers authorized by the Office of the Superintendent General of Insurance of Costa Rica and duly registered with that authority. In any case, the insurance must cover, at minimum, the lodging and medical expenses that may be caused by COVID-19.

Foreign nationals who entered Costa Rican territory with a non-resident visa under the tourism subcategory after December 17, 2019 and do not validate their insurance within the extension to their legal stay will be deemed to be staying irregularly in the country and will be subject to the sanctions set forth in Costa Rican legislation.